Word Origin & History

titan 1412, from L. Titan, from Gk. Titan, member of a mythological race of giants who attempted to scale heaven by piling Mount Pelion on Mount Ossa but were overthrown by Zeus and the gods. They descended from Titan, elder brother of Kronos. Perhaps from tito "sun, day," which is probably a loan-word from a language of Asia Minor. Sense of "person or thing of enormous size" first recorded 1828. Applied to planet Saturn's largest satellite in 1868; it was discovered 1655 by Du. astronomer Christiaan Huygens, who named it Saturni Luna "moon of Saturn.". Titanic "gigantic, colossal" is first recorded

Example Sentences for titan

Atlas, in Greek mythology, the name of a Titan whom Zeus condemned to bear the vault of heaven.

He and his brother Epimetheus are sons of the Titan Iapetus.

This ancient fable of the Brahmins was probably the groundwork also of the Grecian fable of the Titan war.

You have got to take out the Titan for its first run, this afternoon.

Those mists, cupped between the hills, were the last of Titan's atmosphere.

The Titan was ready next morning, as due, and the early start was made.

He has the strength of a Titan in those arms, and the passion of a tiger behind those innocent yellow eyes.

He remembered all too clearly the mutiny on the ship out to Titan.

At the hands of the Titan brothers, birds, beasts, and fishes had fared handsomely.